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Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance

Better Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Efforts Are Needed

Hervé Richet's article "Better Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Efforts Are Needed," in the June 2001 ASM News (p. 304-309) is a cry for more extensive global public education initiatives. Surveillance is only one part of the strategy for controlling the spread of antimicrobial resistance. A simple awareness of microbial epidemiology needs to be instilled in all people. However, there especially needs to be better efforts to ensure that any person who comes in contact with food, money, refuse and other people as an occupation or avocation is versed about the spread of bacteria. My microbiology students gain an unforgettable and valuable lesson about the global spread of antibiotic resistance in a simple study analyzing the bacteria carried by paper money. Bacteria isolated off of fresh money collected from Central American, Europe and the United States are screened and tested for antibacterial resistance. Money circulated in the United States, large European cities, and tourist areas of Central America show multiple antibiotic resistance for the target organisms. Rural areas of Central America and Europe not frequented by tourists contain bacteria sensitive to all the antibiotics tested. This simple activity provides excellent insight into the ease with which antibiotic resistant bacteria can be introduced into a culture. It also demonstrates the global impact one country can have through the overuse of antimicrobial agents. Educational strategies that lead to the prevention of bacteria transmission through public contact may ultimately alleviate the need for long-term comprehensive surveillance projects.

Brian R. Shmaefsky
Kingwood College
Kingwood, Tex.